Naziq al-Abid

Naziq al-Abid (Arabic: نازك العابد) (1898–1959) was known as the "Joan of Arc of the Arabs" in the Western world. She was a pioneer and revolutionary for both national independence and women's rights.

Early life

Abid was born into a wealthy Damascus family in 1898. Her father was an aristocrat and an insider in the court of Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II. She lived a life of luxury as a child, but when she began to think for herself, she left her luxurious life for a life of activism and fighting—on the battlefield, and off. As a young adult, Abid's feminist actions infuriated Damascus's conservative circles, and she was viewed as very different from everyone in her family and community—being called a rebel by many. She left her jewels and silks for simple attire that she could easily work in.

Further reading

• Moubayed, Sami M. (2006). Steel & Silk: Men and Women who Shaped Syria 1900-2000. Cune Press. p. 360-. ISBN 9781885942418.